The Esper's Call
by Seraphim16
Summary: Terra discovers one of her children has amazing abilities, and a horrifying geneology
1. Default Chapter

The Esper's Call  
By Sara Michelle  
  
The cool breeze combed through the tree tops, making a soft, pleasant rustling. The glow  
of the spring sunrise glistened off the dewy grass. Terra Branford sat alone watching the sun  
slowly begin it's journey across the morning sky.   
Kefka and his tower were gone, and the heroes were spread across the world. But, they  
still were able to visit each other often. Each had dedicated themselves to something. Sabin, to  
Gau. He had become a model father teaching the boy everything from reading to the martial arts  
Duncan had taught him. Cyan had married the young woman from Maranda and began rebuilding  
his home. Locke and Celes were in Narsche , Strago and his granddaughter were staying with  
Edgar, who was as always dedicated to his country and people. Terra, dedicated herself to her  
children. She lived still in Mobliz caring for her orphans, helped by Duane and Katarin.   
The children were wonderful and Terra knew that any other normal woman would feel  
complete. But, she was hardly normal. Since the destuction of the tower Terra had traveled the  
world to find orphans and herself. She found orphans, but, not the latter. A piece of her was gone.  
Never to be seen again. Forget it. It's no use crying over it. She said to herself, wiping a lone tear  
from her cheek. She leaned against the tree trunk behind her and hugged herself. Feeling more  
empty now than ever.  
"Mama?"  
Terra turned toward the soft, voice sighed and shook her head at the sight of the bare-foot  
two-year old.  
"Lorelei, what are you doing out here?" Her voice was tender, and her eyes held the  
maternal love she felt for all her children. The little girl held her arms out indicating that she  
wanted to be held. Terra smiled and gently lifted the child in her arms and began carrying her back  
to the main house. Lorelei was a new child to the orphanage. She had been rescued from a  
Magitek laboratory months before Kefka disturbed the Goddesses. Her hair was a strange silver,  
and was as fine as moonbeams. Her eyes were a strange and familiar pale blue, with such an  
intelligence behind them it made one feel as if the child knew their very thoughts. She was quiet,  
graceful, and intimidating.   
"You sad?" she asked in her whisper of a voice. Terra hugged her gently as they entered  
the house and moved towards the girls' bedroom.  
"No, I'm not sad," Terra said as she tucked the girl into bed.  
Lorelei knitted her eyebrows together, "lie," she said softly, as she touched Terra's cheek.  
A shockwave of emotions through her. Pain, fear, solitude, depression...... death. Images of iron  
bars, metal doors, and blinding white hallways flashed in her mind's eye. Nausiating, piercing  
screams of creatures being tortured rang in her ears, and as suddenly as it happened, it stopped.  
Terra's body was shaking, and sweat clung to her skin. Lorelei looked up into Terra's face  
calmly, and as if she could read her thoughts she said softly, " Don't be scared, Mama."  
Terra found her voice and shakily spoke, " Lorelei - "  
" Magic coming back," she whispered, " magic come back, and mama no sad."  
" Lorelei, what did you do? And how are you able to do it?" Terra asked shakily.  
" Espers."  
Terra's breath caught in her throat, " Lorelei, Espers are gone forever. The bad man made  
them go away." Terra's jaw clenched at the thought of all the things Kefka had done and the pain  
he had caused.   
" Mama, they told me that the bad man wasn't really bad," Lorelei whispered. " They say  
he need help. You help." Her voice was pleading.  
" Lorelei, who is they?" Terra asked as a new fear began to claw at her heart. "Who is  
telling you these things?" Her voice was hushed, but, frantic.  
" Can you hear, Mama? They talking now. They want you help bad man." Lorelei  
whispered, " Bad man is sorry."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" That weird little girl said all that?" Sabin asked. Sabin and Gau had stopped by to visit.  
They sat on the back porch watching Gau play with the children. Lorelei sat alone under a tree  
watching a bluebird hop across the ground.  
"Yes," Terra said softly, turning her eyes from Lorelei to her friend. " Do you think she  
could be magic?" Sabin looked down at his coffee, a thoughtful frown on his face.  
" Honestly, I don't know. We destroyed the statues-  
Terra looked back at Lorelei. Gau was now sitting cross-legged next to her. The  
conversation was forgotten as a distant, fuzzy memory came back to her. A small girl about ten,  
with vibrant, green hair sitting in a metal room. A young man, about thirteen, sat next to her. He  
had long, blonde hair and gentle eyes.  
"Terra!"  
The sound of Sabin's voice brought her back to reality. That couldn't be.......   
"You okay?" Sabin asked, "you look upset."  
Terra shook her head and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, " I'm fine.  
That couldn't be........  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" Is this who I think it is?"  
" Yes, sir."  
" Is he alive?"  
" Yes, sir."  
" Good."  
  
*End Chapter 1* 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Squaresoft. Lorelei however belongs to me.

The Espers Call

Chapter 2

The day was calm, not a cloud in the sky, and yet something was off. Setzer couldn't quite place it but a sense of foreboding washed over him as the small cluster of buildings that made up Terra's home came into sight. Sabin had sent a courier telling him about the incident Terra had with the little girl and how spooked their old friend had been. He would have been passing by on his way to Doma to bring supplies to Cyan so he decided to check on the girl and see how Terra was faring.

"Are we almost there?"

Setzer glanced over his shoulder to see Relm standing behind him. The young girl had tagged along with her grandfather when Setzer had made a stop in Thamasa to inform the old wizard of what Sabin had told him.

"I asked you a question!" Relm had placed her hands on her hips and scowled at Setzer's back. The girl still was wearing outlandish colors that pained the eye, she still wore her hair tied back with a bright red kerchief. Her clothes carried the smells of paints, charcoals, and paint thinner. The child had a talent for paining all the senses.

"We will be landing shortly," Setzer said quietly. The ominous feeling he had felt now settled in the pit of his stomach like a rock settles at the bottom of a fountain. Something's not right he thought to himself as he turned from the view of the orphanage. If only I knew what it was.

Terra had been busying herself in the kitchen with Katarin when Mason, one of the older children burst through the door.

"MAMA!" the boy shouted startling Terra and causing her to drop the kettle she had been scrubbing. Both women cringed as it banged across the wooden floor and smacked into the pantry door. Terra sighed as she stooped to retrieve the item then turned to Mason.

"What, Mason?"she asked softly, the boy sheepishly looked down at the floor. "Mason..." Terra repeated in a firmer tone.

"Duane told me to tell you that an airship is headed this way, and that it is landing soon," Mason then added before he turned away, "I'm sorry I scared you."

Terra smiled and patted the boy on his shoulder, "It's alright, Mason," the boy looked at her with bright blue eyes. He was approaching thirteen, and his blonde hair had started to darken, and he had begun to grow taller. A slight twinge of pain pricked at Terra's heart as she watched the boy walk away.

The roar of airship engines brought her back to the present and away from the pain of the future. "Katarin, will you keep an eye on Lorelei, she is napping in the den." The younger woman smiled and nodded.

Terra met Duane outside the cluster of buildings, his dark hair whipped around his tanned face. "I believe it's Setzer." Duane said with out removing his eyes from the descending airship. Terra's eyebrows came together in thought.

"That is Setzer," She said softly, "What is he doing this far east?"She watched the landing gear lock into place. Clouds of dust billowed around the landing pads as the hatch opened slowly.

"Terra!" Relm shouted as she charged down the hatch, she was a blur of color as she ran to Terra and wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman. "I missed you!" Terra hugged the young girl. She was shocked to see how she had grown, Relm now reached Terra's shoulder, her clothes no longer sagged off of her tiny frame. She was quickly becoming a young woman, at that thought a familiar twinge again pricked at Terra's heart.

"Hello, my dear!"Strago shouted as he hobbled in her direction. He was a stooped old magician of absent mind but, frightening intelligence. Underneath bushy, grayed eyebrows his blue eyes shined with a knowledge surpassed by few. The corners of his thick mustache turned up as he gave her a warm smile and clasped her hands in his own. She always found the older man's presence comforting and his smile eased the pain that threatened to consume her.

"Faring well, my dear?" Strago asked softly, concern clouding his eyes. She gave him her most convincing smile, trying to fool herself more than anything.

"Of course, Strago,"She replied, as she place a kiss on the older man's cheek, "It's so wonderful to see the both of you." Strago blushed ever so slightly as he released her hands.

"As lovely as ever I see," a smoothly accented voice said slowly. Terra looked up to see Setzer approaching her. His silvery hair flying whimsically around his face as the wind blew. In his hands he held his trademark deck of cards, which he quickly deposited into one of the many pockets hidden inside his trench coat. He took one of her hands and brushed his lips across her knuckles in greeting, he lowered her hand but did not let go.

"Hello, Setzer," she said softly. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. The gambler's face remained expressionless, this talent of his always unnerved her.

"A courier met up with me in Thamasa, he delivered a message from Sabin telling of the.." he paused, Terra assumed he was searching for the correct words, she was never certain with Setzer, "He mentioned certain 'incidences.'"

Terra raised an eyebrow, "So you came to check up on me?" The gambler dropped her hand and crossed his arms.

"I was passing by on my way to Doma so he asked if I would stop by. Relm and Strago asked to come along." Terra nodded, not wholly believing the tall mystery before her.

"I will have Duane and some of the older boys carry your bags in, I assume you will be staying the night?"She said softly as she turned to go back to the orphanage. Relm nodded so quickly Terra was afraid she would injure herself. " Dinner will be served within the hour, shall we go?"

The ocean crashed against the rocks on the shore nearby as the sun began to descend. Terra sat with her old comrades. Relm sat half asleep on the stairs and Strago was napping in a rocking chair. Setzer sat leisurely in a patio chair with his feet reclined onto the porch railing. His eyes seemed to be staring at something far away. His hands were kept busy by the deck of cards he was shuffling from one hand to the other.

"Why are you headed to Doma?" Terra asked softly as she watched Lorelei sitting by herself. Katarin had the other children involved in a storybook on the opposite side of the lawn. Several children made attempts to involve her in the activity, but she was content to sit underneath the large tree and watch the sun descend.

"I am bringing supplies for Cyan, he needed medical supplies, food, building equipment,"Setzer replied without turning to face her. "Does that kid every sit with anyone at all?" The question caught Terra off guard, she realized he had noticed the young girl's odd behavior as well. She looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap.

"She's strange..." was the only reply she could come up with.

Lorelei sighed, her head was buzzing. She heard whispers, cries, they made her head hurt. Suddenly, she became very dizzy. She closed her eyes, they were starting to burn. When she opened her eyes, she no longer saw the orphanage, the ocean or the tree where she sat. Her heart began to race. She was in a dark room strapped tightly to a cold slab of metal. Forms of people moved around her. Her entire body burned and ached. A bright light burst before her eyes and a sharp pain exploded in her head.

Suddenly, Lorelei saw the ground rushing to greet her and darkness overcame her.

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Squaresoft not me. This is only for fun..

Chapter 3

The Esper's Call

"If we continue like this then he'll die!" a brown haired nurse shouted over the pain-filled screams of their tortured charge. No response came from the black high backed chair across the darkened office. Not sure if her leader had heard her she spoke again, "Sir, this is serious! If-"

"I know what I am doing, girl," his voice came in a low growl. A cold chill traveled up the young nurse's spine. " He is merely a key... and nothing more."

"B... but, sir..." she stammered. In a dark blur of motion the tall and looming form of her master was upon her. Her vision blurred as she felt her head connect with the cold stone of the office wall. She gasped for air as a gloved hand closed around her small throat, constricting her airway.

"I care not if he dies! He is nothing more than a pawn, just keep him alive long enough to find it!" he shouted at the girl tightening his grip around her throat to emphasize the severity of his words. Pale hands clawed at the silken fabric of his gloves, as she attempted to free herself from her master's rage.

"P...pl..please...s..sir..."

"Away with you, Girl!" He said with disgust as he effortlessly cast her small frame aside.

Heavy and regal steps echoed off the stone walls of Figaro Castle. Edgar Roni-Figaro slowly made his way to his personal parlor. The Chancellor informed him he had a rather stubborn, and dark visitor. His deep purple cape made a hushed rustling noise as he picked up his pace ever so slightly. He grinned to himself as he thought of Shadow actually visiting him. _ 'Whatever could be wrong?' _He thought as he turned the knob of the parlor door. Instantly he regretted not announcing himself before entering the darkened sitting room.

"My friend," he said slowly, and hoarsely, "we could reminisce far easier if you put your weapon away." A low and course sound came from the king's former companion as he withdrew the dagger he had pressed against Edgar's throat. Edgar assumed the sound was as close to a laugh he would ever get with Shadow.

"So, what brings you here?" Edgar said slowly straightening his collar. "No horrible happenings in the world I hope?"

"There is strange activity in the mountains surrounding Zozo," the masked man said softly as he moved to stand by the window across from Edgar. "There is word that some of Kefka's followers are congregating there."

Edgar remained silent, taking this news in before speaking. "Do you believe them to be a threat to any of us?"

Shadow shook his head, " There is talk of a child..."

They saw her collapse. Setzer reached the child first, dropping to his knees he rolled the small girl onto her back. He barely spared Terra a glance, instinctively checking the child's pulse and breathing, both normal.

"Lorelei?" Terra said placing her hands on the child's face, fear and panic evident in her voice. "Setzer, why won't she answer!" The tall gambler remained silent as Katarin came up behind him.

"What happened?" The younger woman asked as a small cry arose from the tiny form below them.

"Lorelei? Lorelei?!" Terra cried, panic rising, threatening to strangle her. Lorelei's eyelids fluttered open, momentarily revealing chilling blue eyes. "Lorelei?" The child took in a sharp breath as her eyes rolled back showing only whites. Her tiny frame went rigid as she made small choking sounds. Gathering the girl's small frame in her arms Terra raced into the main house Setzer and Strago close on her heels. They took the small girl into Terra's personal chamber,and laid the child on the large patchwork quilt that adorned her massive bed.

"Duane! Bring the medical case!" Terra shouted as she began checking the small child's pulse. "Her heart is racing," she said more to herself than to the two men in the room with her. Suddenly, the girl went rigid once again, then she began to convulse violently.

Screams filled the room, the only other sound was the shouts of nurses and orderlies that were fighting to hold down the thrashing form of their tortured patient. A young nurse screamed as the man bucked trying to throw off the orderlies that were holding him down.

"What are you waiting for girl?!" one of the orderlies shouted. Snapping back to reality the girl stuck the syringe she had into the man's arm. Slowly, his screams died and pale blue eyes glazed over and his fighting stopped.

"Someone has to watch over him," An orderly said sharply, "you," he pointed to the young nurse, "get first watch."

Setzer watched with disbelieving eyes at the strength displayed by the small form on the large four poster bed. It took both he and Duane to hold the child down as Terra administered what little medical treatment she could. The only sounds in the room came from Lorelei as she struggled to force air into her tiny lungs. The gambler cringed as Terra injected a potion directly into a vein in the child's neck. Almost instantly the thrashing ceased and Lorelei's breathing and heartbeat regulated.

"Lorelei?" Terra said softly. Once again no response came, she looked to Setzer confusion, and fear etched into her smooth porcelain features.

"The child is out of immediate danger," he said softly, "But I have no idea what else is going on."

_Voices... so many voices... Mama... my head... it hurts..._

A/N: Alright, hopefully this will be the last time that I revise this chapter, the last version was way too short and moved to fast, hopefully this version is a little more satisfying although I still feel as though something is missing. Leave some reviews!!!


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